Missing the sky
by Spaztic Arwen
Summary: Bella has begun to miss the sky. Van Helsing decides to surprise her, and is surprised in return when the little gargoyle asks him for a story. (Part of my Vatican Clan fics)


**Disclaimer- own nothing. Everything belongs 2 Buena-Vista and Universal Studios and I am an employee of neither (but Greg Wiesman & Stephen Summers r my heroes!)**

**A chapter I "edited for time" out of my Vatican Clan fics. (actually, I just sort of skipped it cause I was so eager to get to the Stella/Frankenstein stuff.) It takes place a few weeks after Van Helsing brought Bella to the Vatican City after the destruction of her clan. It sort of clarifies something in the next chapter. I suggest you don't read this until you read my Vatican Clan fic (or at least the first 5 or 6 chapters). If you're a fan of those cute scenes between Bella and Gabriel then you will like this.**

Stella watched Bella stare out of the window at the night sky. The little gargoyle had been there for hours, ever since she had awoken from stone sleep. She had not even eaten. When she had awoken, instead of roaring to life with her usual zeal, Bella had simply let her stone shell crumple off of her. She had been like this for nights now. At first Stella assumed that she was simply missing Van Helsing, but Bella had always kept a brave face when her protector was gone, never letting anyone see her cry if she could help it. This dejectedness was simply unlike her. Stella began to wonder if the young gargoyle was in fact ill.

"Bella, are you feeling well?" the librarian asked, coming to sit beside the young gargoyle. Bella nodded, but continued to stair out the window.

"Stella," she asked. "Will I ever get to see the sky again?"

"What do you mean beautiful one?"

"I miss the sky. I never get to go outside anymore. I never see the sky."

The young gargoyle's words hit Stella, and she immediately understood. The only places Bella had seen since coming to the Vatican were Van Helsing's apartments and the library. Her only time outdoors was the brief moments when she was being moved from one to the other, and even then, fully concealed under a cloak. It was for her own protection of course, but for a child to understand that? Stella realized that she should have known better. Bella was young. She needed air. She deserved to see the sky.

The door opened. Bella saw who entered and brightened.

"Gabriel!" she called and rushed into the arms of her protector. Van Helsing lifted her up and held her close.

"I've missed you my little one." he said softly, stroking her thin, silver hair.

"I missed you too."

"Have you been good for Stella while I was gone?"

"She's been a little angel, as always." Stella answered.

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The monster hunter's flat had no windows, no view of the sky. Van Helsing could see that something was bothering his little one. She seemed to move slower than usual, seemed sadder. He asked her several times what was wrong, but she always told him that she was fine. They curled up on the couch together until sunrise as Bella told him about her week with Stella Van Helsing could see that her heart was not in it. That morning, as soon as Bella turned to stone at dawn, Van Helsing left for Stella's apartments, hoping to find out what ailed his little one.

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Bella awoke at sunset with a halfhearted roar. She looked up to see Van Helsing holding her cloak.

"I have a surprise for you little one." he said mysteriously. Bella slipped on her cloak and followed him to the door. Outside his horse waited, saddled and ready. Bella looked at her protector inquisitively, but Van Helsing just raised his finger to his lips and flashed a mysterious smile.

"You will see where we are going soon enough." he reassured.

They rode for several miles through the country side and through a thick forest. They came out at a clearing, illuminated by moonlight. Bella gasped in delight. The sky shone above, countless stars twinkling in the blue. Van Helsing dismounted, helping Bella down after him. She threw back her hood and raced about, laughing with pure joy.

"Catch me if you can!" she called. Van Helsing smiled and raced after her, always letting her stay two steps ahead, until finally capturing her and spinning her about. Then Bella began to chase him. Van Helsing evaded her for a while, but Bella lunged, tackling him to the ground. They lay there, gazing at the stars, the gargoyle resting her head on the monster hunter's chest.

"Gabriel."

"Yes."

"Can you tell me a story?"

Van Helsing thought about this for a moment. Every story he knew was full of darkness and fear. This was not a time for that. He tried to think of a moment in his life before Bella that was not tainted with evil. Anna's face came to mind, and he knew what story he wanted to tell.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. The princess had no castle, no throne, no royal clothes or fine jewels. All that she had held dear had been taken from her by an evil count."

"What was her name?" Bella asked.

"Anna." the monster hunter answered. "Her name was Anna. She was beautiful, with soft raven hair."

And Van Helsing told her story, their story, not as it had been, but as it should be. In the princess's story, the knight was able to save her. It was the ending he wished he had been given, the kind of ending he wanted his little one to believe in. The story ended with the knight sweeping the princess off of her feet and onto his horse, riding of together into the sunset.

"And they lived happily ever after?" Bella asked.

"Yes, they did."

"Gabriel, did you ever meet a princess?"

Van Helsing stared up at the stars. A solitary tear ran down his cheek.

"Once, a long time ago."

"Was she like the princess in the story?"

"Yes, very much like her."

"Gabriel."

"Yes."

"Thank you."

"For what?" he asked.

"For taking me to see the sky, I was starting to miss it."

**A/N- R&R please. I wanna know if this scene should have stayed deleted. If you like it, maybe I'll add it to the extended DVD (who am I, Peter Jackson?) Just tell me what ya think**

**PS. 4 days till the movie comes out! YAY!!**


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